Zorin 9 Dual boot from USB?

I'd like to be able to run Zorin 9 from a USB memory stick for very occasional use on a Windows 7 laptop ~ I would prefer not to install it on the HDD. So, I have 3 questions:

Firstly, is this a straight-forward job? It appears that Unetbootin is one way to do this, but are there other / better /easier ways to do it?

Secondly, if it is possible to run Zorin from a USB stick are user settings saved to the USB?

Thirdly, is the performance, running from a USB stick, likely to be "acceptable " (whatever that amounts to)?

Ultimately, if I have to install Zorin as dual boot (from HDD) I will consider it, but I'd like to find alternatives if possible. (The reason is that I would like to do similar things with some old Win XP laptops).

Many thanks

Alan

Hi and welcome to Zorin forums! Yes you can use unetbootin, or you could try Universal USB Bootloader - http://www.pendrivelinux.com/universal- ... -as-1-2-3/. Personally I prefer MultiSystem 3 but you need to have a GNU/Linux installation to run it. http://linux.softpedia.com/get/System/I ... 5623.shtml

If you want to dual boot, this is the way to do it:

http://vimeo.com/110085401

Aha, thanks

One of my latent concerns was messing up the bootloader on the Win 7 laptop when dual booting with Zorin, etc, from HDD, so the Vimeo link (for Win 7) is one I had missed, thanks.

How about saving Zorin user settings to the USB?

BTW, my "problem" is that I have a) equipment control software running under Ubuntu 12, b) much prefer Zorin 9 as a Linux system, c) don't want a triple-boot with those two Linuxes and Win 7 . . . . life is already messy enough without adding more layers of . . . stuff.

A

You need to add 'persistence' - someone recently posted a neat way of doing this - will get back to you when I come across it.

Thanks - Universal USB Installer allows persistence to be set. I haven't tried it yet though.

Dinner is out - get back later/tomorrow?

Here is the link that DanHYKim posted:

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=7171&p=41217&hilit=unetbootin#p41217

Thanks Swarfendor, there is a lot of useful info there.

At present persistence works, but as the links show it isn't possible to do major updates with it enabled. (I tried it before reading and hit an iceberg). That's a bit of a nuisance. I suppose the sensible route is to do a full dual boot install - I can probably live with that.

Consequently, I now should see if there are any issues with Zorin + XP, and how to cleanly uninstall Zorin in the future if it becomes essential.

Lots to learn!

Alan

So . . . . it looks like the cleanest full installation path is to use WUBI, and then updating Zorin (etc) can be done live, no 'persistence' issue and uninstalling is straightforward.

I hope I am right. I might have made a mess of a really ancient legacy laptop by installing from CD but not keeping a Win XP boot disk (in case I need to zap Linux) . . . . Dang, some critical instructions sometimes only appear as footnotes. S'pose I can easily fudge a boot CD . . . . Even more to learn!

A

What I can suggest you to do is, if you don't want to make a HDD dual boot to your (Windows) machine, you could instead make a full os. installation to that using a USB 3.0 drive (16 or 32Gb), if this PC can boot from a USB Drive. USB 2.0 port can be used to connect the USB 3.0 drive. Make the installation to USB Drive selecting "Something else" and remember to format the USB to EXT 4 before installing.

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=4848

Note that it does not do any changes to Windows partition(s) on HDD if you install also the boot loader to the USB. Then you can start the Linux os from BIOS boot order selection. When you want to remove the Linux installation you can just remove the USB Drive and any uninstall is not required.

Henriolavi - thanks. That sounds like a good plan for my main Win 7 laptop which does support USB 3.0. The older Lenovo (Win XP) laptops don't, and from from some superficial surfing I did early on I believe that USB 3.0 is an absolute pre-requisite.

Because I have several old inherited laptops I can try a couple of solutions. The underlying reason for all this delving is that I have Win XP applications that I want to keep, while having Zorin for 'everyday' use. Maybe dual boot (via WUBI) is the first choice, but I will have to find out whether its apparent drawbacks are critical issues.

Thanks again. A

No need for a USB 3,0 port in the computer. USB 2,0 port can be used. However select a USB 3,0 drive to get speed enough. USB 3,0 Drives are downwards compatible to be used also in a USB 2.0 port. In my desktop I run now many full installations (Zorin 9 Edu, Elementary os, Luna and Linux Mint 17) using USB 3,0 drives but USB 2,0 ports. I have Windows 7 Ultimate on my HDD only. Then I have an external USB 2,0 connected USB 3,0 specified , 500 GB HDD for data storage to be used with what-so-ever os. I just hapend to use. USB full installation is a working, safe and flexible solution to be used with multi-os installations.

That clears up the USB 3 part . . speed! Thanks for clearing that up. I will be ordering USB pendrives shortly and will add a handful of USB3 ones for this project.

Look also this viewtopic to get some additional speed info of USB drives.

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=7410

Thanks - nearing the end of enquiries now. I'll close this thread shortly.